Page 96 of Black Castle

A flicker of emotions stretch across Lucan’s face. Fear, rage, helplessness. Because deep down, he knows what Zev is capable of.

“I’ll break her.” His voice is a whisper now, more dangerous than a scream. “I will corrupt her. Piece by piece, I will tear her apart, put her back together. No, not as she once was, the way you adore her, but as something else. Something soiled, something ruined. She’ll crave darkness and blood.” His grin turns sharp, feral. “Just like she has always been meant to be.”

Lucan breathing is uneven, his fist clenched, nails digging into his palms.

Zev tilts his head, letting out a low, satisfied laugh. “And do you wanna know the best part?” he asks. “You won’t be able to do a thing about it.”

Silence stretches across them, thick and suffocating.

Then, Zev tugs against the chains, and they rattle like the prelude to war.

Chapter Thirty

Vivienne

A loud crash. A cry.

Vivienne jolts awake, her heart hammering in her chest.

The surface beneath her is soft—silky. A blanket drapes over her, and plush pillows surround her. The bedsheets feel familiar, luxurious, like the Egyptian cotton ones Lucan uses for his bed.

Egyptian cotton.

Realization hits her. She’s in a private jet. His private jet.

She and Kenji were going to head back to the airport and return home. But Lucan insisted on flying her back in his private jet. He was sure if he let her go into that commercial flight, he might never hear from her again.

Another cry slithers through the door. A frantic oh my god!

Her stomach twists, the clash, the scream.

She flips the blanket off, feet hitting the floor just as the door to the cabinet slides open.

Kenji stumbles in, his bluish-gray eyes wide with horror, his entire body trembling.

Panic spreads through her like wildfire. “What’s happening?” she demands, her voice shaking.

She fumbles with her loafers, her mind immediately jumping to the worst—they are crashing.

Cold sweat beads on her skin. She doesn’t want to die. Not like this—exploding midair, her body shredded into nothing but scattered bones…if they even find them.

“Come on, Sato, what’s happening out there?” Her voice pitches, breath coming out faster. “Are we dying?”

“He’s about to kill someone,” he says, his voice trembling.” Her stomach lurches. It’s not a crash, but a murder.

“W-ho?” The relief of not being the one dying is short-lived. Because someone else is about to.

“Come and fucking stop him.” Kenji grips her wrist, yanking her toward the door.

They both race through the meeting cabinet, the dining area, then he pulls apart a curtain.

Vivienne stops dead.

Her heart slams against her ribs. Her blood roaring in her ears.

Lucan stands at the open jet door, fingers wrapped around a flight attendant’s throat. The prettiest of the three. She dangles in the air, feet kicking, her mouth open in a silent, desperate plea.

Terror chokes Vivienne.

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